MOST FAMILIES LIVE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK, EVEN ON $150k+ INCOMES—DON’T BE ONE OF THEM

Eliminate debt, build freedom, and regain control of your money without extreme frugality, spreadsheet obsession, or financial shame.

EVEN IF YOU’RE STARTING WITH OVERWHELMING DEBT

12-Week Transformation • Limited Seats • Start Today

Start Your 12-Week Transformation

Not sure? Schedule a free Test Drive call.

The Drive Away Debt Plan

Here’s What You’ll Learn

Why obsessing over your numbers too early kills your momentum and how to build awareness, purpose, and emotional readiness first.
Why discipline alone never fixes overspending and how to recognize cravings, manage stress, and spend from calm, not compulsion.
How to build a simple money system that runs in the background through budgeting, forecasting, and automation that creates clarity automatically
Why most financial plans collapse the first time life gets hard and how to pressure-test yours so it works in the real world.
How to lead your family into financial alignment without conflict or control through communication and modeling.
Why paying off debt isn’t the finish line and how to build habits and systems that protect your freedom for life.

Start Your 12-Week Transformation

Choose Your Route to Freedom

Every dad’s journey is different. Whether you want a roadmap or a riding partner, these plans meet you where you are and get you moving faster.

Solo Drive

Access to everything you need to build momentum and stay consistent:

Full 12-week DAD Plan curriculum with lessons, videos, exercises, tools, and templates to help you become financially free
Access to bi-weekly office hours for live Q&A, accountability, and help applying the material to your real life
Next-day email replies whenever you hit a roadblock
Optional 1:1 Strategy Session (available separately)

Solo Drive gives you the full roadmap and ongoing support, all at your own pace.

For independent drivers who just need a map.

Start Solo Drive: $99

Full program access—no call required to start

Budget Tune-Up

For drivers who want hands-on help building a real working budget.

Dive into the Gears & Systems phase of the DAD Plan (Weeks 5–7) and leave with a fully built financial engine you can maintain on your own.

Two 1:1 coaching sessions (1 hour each) to build your budget and organize your spending
Three-month statement review so your numbers are clean and accurate
A personalized Cash Flow Forecast, Net Worth tracker, and Financial Health Dashboard
Clear training on how to update everything going forward

Built for drivers who want a simple, numbers-first starting point.

Upgrade to Budget Tune-Up: $199

No call required—get started instantly.

Team Drive

Everything in Solo Drive, plus high-touch guidance, accountability, and direct support every step of the way.

Six 1:1 coaching sessions (1 hour each) scheduled at your own pace throughout the program
Weekly office hours for deeper discussion and support
Weekly written feedback on your exercises and reflections
Slack support for quick response
Priority email replies
Private community forum to connect and share wins with other drivers

Perfect for dads who want structure, support, and a coach in their corner every week. This is the most hands-on way to work with me.

For those who want a co-pilot on the road to freedom.

Apply for Team Drive

Premium coaching + weekly support. Let’s talk through your goals. Team Drive spots are limited so I can support everyone personally.

The DAD Plan

A 12-week curriculum to financial freedom.

This is the system I’ve been developing since 2011. It’s the way I paid off $90k of student debt in seven months, paid off our mortgage, and achieved CoastFIRE.

It works.

Hi, I’m Joe Mihalic.

I envision a world where people make decisions based on their values, not their net worth.

The reality is that debt traps us in lives that we never imagined for ourselves. I know, because I’ve lived it.

In 2009, I graduated with $101k of student debt and a $100k job I didn’t love. I couldn’t see a way out.

After making minimum payments for two years, I challenged myself to pay off the remaining $90k in ten months. By completely rewiring my mindset, emotions, habits, and financial tracking against a backdrop of radical accountability, I paid it off in only seven.

We went on to pay off our mortgage and fully fund our retirement by maintaining the systems that created freedom.

In 2025, I quit Apple after 13 years to focus on my family and coach others to find that same freedom.

Financial freedom creates space for what matters most: your health, your family, your dreams. You deserve it. You can have it. I’ll show you how.

In 2009, I graduated with my MBA feeling proud

…and $101,000 of debt.

For two years, I made monthly payments, worked at a company I didn’t believe in, at a job I really didn’t like, and told myself everything was fine.

But by August 2011, I couldn’t take it anymore. So I set a bold goal: pay off the remaining $90k in ten months instead of fifteen years.

I documented the entire journey — every sacrifice, side hustle, and mindset shift — on a blog called No More Harvard Debt.

In 2012, I made my last debt payment.

Seven months after starting the blog, I was debt-free, and I realized I now held the keys to financial freedom and could live life on my terms.

Read the blog that started it all.

The story began long before The DAD Plan. This is where it all started: one challenge, one goal, and one relentless drive toward freedom.

Go to the Blog

From Inspiration to Coach

Several major news outlets covered my successful mission to pay off $90k of debt in seven months. I heard from countless people who said it inspired them to pay off their debt.

Today, I’m not just an inspiration. I’m a coach.

I’ve codified the system that took me out of debt and into the news—and I’ll teach it to you.

The Wall Street Journal | May 17, 2012
Wiping out $90,000 in Student Loans in 7 Months

Economists are increasingly worried that many young Americans will spend coming years buried under student debt. Joe Mihalic was determined not to be one of them.

CNN Newsroom | June 3, 2012
Interview with Joe Mihalic

CNN Newsroom featured Joe Mihalic, who erased $90,000 in student loans within seven months by selling possessions, taking roommates, and prioritizing financial freedom over lifestyle.

Forbes | August 29, 2015
How One Millennial Paid Down $90k Grad School Debt In A Year

Harvard MBA graduate Joe Mihalic tackled nearly $100K in student debt by embracing extreme frugality—selling possessions, taking roommates, and blogging his journey to financial freedom in seven months.

US News & World Report | June 4, 2012
Paying Off Nearly Six Figures of Student Debt in Seven Months

U.S. News & World Report highlighted Joe Mihalic’s journey eliminating nearly $90,000 in student loans within seven months through aggressive cost-cutting, extra income, and disciplined financial focus.

HuffPost | May 16, 2012
How to Pay Off $90,000 Student Debt in 7 Months

HuffPost profiled Joe Mihalic, a Harvard MBA graduate who erased $90,000 of student debt in seven months through radical budgeting, side income, and a mindset shift toward financial freedom.

Poets & Quants | May 15, 2012
A Harvard MBA Pays Down $101K Of Debt

Poets & Quants profiled Joe Mihalic, a Harvard MBA who eliminated $90,000 of student debt in seven months through extreme frugality, side hustles, and relentless focus on financial freedom.

The Dave Ramsey Show | July 5, 2012
Interview with Joe Mihalic

Dave Ramsey featured Joe Mihalic, a Harvard MBA who paid off $90,000 in seven months by selling possessions, slashing expenses, and adopting an obsessive focus on financial freedom.

Yahoo! News | September 5, 2012
Should you pay off your student loans quickly?

Harvard MBA Joe Mihalic erased $90,000 of student debt in seven months by slashing expenses, renting rooms, and selling possessions. His No More Harvard Debt blog inspired readers to live simply and pursue financial freedom over appearances.

What Happens When You Commit

I Made My Final Student Loan Payment Today

“I read an interview with you in U.S. News a couple of years ago. I had just graduated from Cambridge University and was in a similar position to where you started. Your story genuinely inspired me. Today I made the final payment on my student loans.

“I wanted to say thank you from sunny Cape Town, South Africa.”
M. Burke
I’m Turning My Debt Into a Personal Challenge

“Your story is inspiring and your situation and philosophy resonate with me.

“I am going to begin a personal challenge of my own. My debt is higher and my income lower, so it will take me a little bit longer… but I am quite energized about the prospect of making this a challenge rather than a lifetime burden. I’ve already come to terms with returning to my natural hair color and painting my own nails :)”
B. Claw
I Decided to Tackle My Debt

“Inspired by your journey to tackle your student debt, I decided 10 months ago to follow suit and tackle my student debt.

“Words cannot begin to express my gratitude. You inspired me to tackle the dreaded S-word and for that I am forever indebted to you. I can’t wait to see where this journey continues to take me and look forward to every minute of it.”

K. Kim
From $178K in Debt to Complete Freedom

“In October 2014, I had ~$178,000 in student loans. Today, I have 0 debt! Your blog really inspired me to take radical action.

“To make this happen, I sold expensive cars, sold all my stock holdings, allocated 95% of my paycheck to the debt, etc.

“I really want to THANK YOU for sharing your story because you really helped to kindle my flame.”
Timmy W.
I Crushed My Student Loan Debt and Kept the Mindset.

“Writing to say thanks. I first discovered your NMHD blog back in early 2012, right around my graduation from undergrad, and devoured every article. Your blog (both in content and in style) served as major motivation to crush the seemingly-insurmountable student loan debt I faced.

“Now that I’m back in school, and surrounded by people spending insane amounts via credit and debt, I’m all the more thankful for you sharing your perspective and experience.”
D. Daum

Start Your 12-Week Transformation

The Difference 12 Weeks Makes

Before The DAD Plan

$200K household income and still checking the account before big purchases.
Credit cards carrying a $30K balance “temporarily” for the third year in a row.
A mortgage that feels like a weight.
Promotions at work, but no measurable financial freedom.
Lifestyle upgrades that quietly outpace income growth.
The uneasy thought: If one thing goes wrong, I’m not sure how we’ll get through it.

After The DAD Plan

Cash flow that works before the month even starts, with every dollar assigned on purpose.
Credit cards paid off and kept that way because your system makes backsliding unlikely.
A mortgage integrated into a real long-term wealth strategy, not just a payment schedule.
Clear financial margin built into your life — so unexpected expenses don’t create panic.
Spending aligned with your values and long-term vision, not short-term momentum.
The confidence of knowing your income is finally building freedom

Start Your 12-Week Transformation

Start Your 12-Week Transformation

Yes, the DAD Plan is designed with dads in mind because they’re often underserved, but the tools and coaching help anyone who wants clarity, confidence, and control over their money.
They’re welcome but not required. Some people want to complete the foundations first, then bring their partner into a later session. Either way works.
Yes. You’re welcome to purchase additional 1:1 sessions at any point in the program, regardless of the plan you signed up for.
Yes, you can upgrade anytime. I’ll help you transition smoothly.
Absolutely. I’ll walk you through every tool step by step, and nothing requires advanced Excel skills. If you need extra help, you can always book a 1:1.
No, the whole point is to meet you where you are and build from there.
You’re not alone. Most people feel that way at first. This is a judgment-free program, and you’ll be met with respect and encouragement every step of the way.
Yes. Many clients come in feeling stuck or overwhelmed. The program breaks everything down into simple steps you can actually follow.
All lessons are in your member area. Each new phase brings its own set of lessons, tools, and downloads.
Plan for a few hours each week at most. Some modules are quick; others ask you to slow down and spend more time with your numbers. Don’t worry about keeping a perfect pace, it’s built so you can pause when needed and return without losing momentum.
Once you sign up, you’ll have lifetime access to the course materials, including videos and templates.
They’re pre-recorded so you can go at your own pace, but you’re encouraged to bring questions to office hours or schedule a 1:1.
If the 12-week DAD Plan isn’t meeting or exceeding your expectations by week four, I’ll give you a full refund.